A LOVE UNTAMED

Adrian leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the young woman across from him. The silence stretched, a heavy pause that seemed to draw the oxygen from the room. Liana clasped her hands tightly in her lap, refusing to let her nerves betray her this time around.

"Tell me," Adrian finally said, his voice smooth yet edged with challenge, "why did you schedule the opening performance of the gala before the keynote address? Most would do the reverse."

Liana blinked. He had read the draft she worked so hard to finish in a rush? She swallowed and straightened. "Because, Mr. Blackwood, the gala isn't just about speeches. It's about setting the tone. If you capture attention at the start, you make people listen all the way through."

Adrian's brow arched, the faintest smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "So you believe entertainment outweighs words?"

"I believe entertainment makes people hear the words," she replied, surprising even herself with the firmness in her tone.

The silence that followed was different now-less suffocating, more... charged. Adrian's dark eyes glimmered with something unreadable, but the curve of his lips revealed he wasn't displeased.

"You're bold," he murmured, tilting his head. "Most new hires tremble in this chair. Yet you argue."

Liana's heart thundered, but she held his gaze. "I wasn't hired to tremble, sir. I was hired to work."

For a heartbeat, Adrian just stared at her. Then a low chuckle escaped him, rich and dangerous. "Point taken."

A knock at the door interrupted the thick air between them. Mr. Pierce entered, his expression flickering with surprise when he found Liana seated in front of Adrian.

"Miss Torres," Adrian said, his tone cool and commanding again, "you may go. We'll speak another time."

Her legs felt strangely weak as she rose, murmuring a polite "Thank you, Mr. Blackwood." As she exited, she felt his eyes following her-tracking every step until the heavy doors closed behind her.

Adrian leaned back once more, a smirk carving deeper across his lips. "Interesting," he murmured to himself.

Back at her desk, whispers rose like smoke. Vanessa Cole glided over, her designer heels clicking softly against the polished floor. Her smile was too wide, too sweet, the kind that made Liana instinctively cautious.

"You really are full of surprises, Liana," Vanessa said, voice dripping with false warmth. "Not everyone gets face time with Adrian Blackwood on their first week. Must have been... intense."

Liana stiffened but replied carefully, "It was just work-related."

"Of course, of course," Vanessa cooed, her eyes glinting with mischief. "You know, some of us are going out for dinner tonight. A little bonding time with the team. You should come."

Liana hesitated. "What kind of dinner?"

Vanessa's smile sharpened. She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice so others couldn't hear. "The kind that shows you where you really stand." Then, just as quickly, she straightened and added lightly, "We're meeting at The Glasshouse. Classy's place and I know you're gonna love it." With that, she swayed off, leaving the sting of her remark behind.

Liana bit her lip. She wasn't naive-Vanessa's "invitation" reeked of a setup. But refusing would only make her look weak. She'd go, even if it meant walking into whatever game Vanessa planned.

Later that evening, when the office began to thin out, Liana slipped into the restroom. She brushed out her dark hair, twisting it into soft waves, reapplied a bold sweep of lipstick, and adjusted her blouse until she looked polished again. She wasn't about to give Vanessa the satisfaction of seeing her flustered or plain.

Squaring her shoulders, she left the building, her heels tapping lightly against the marble floor of Titan Media's grand lobby.

Outside, a sleek black car was parked discreetly by the curb. Inside, Adrian lounged in the backseat, one arm resting lazily along the leather. His driver had stepped away on an errand, leaving him alone. He hadn't intended to linger for long but then he saw her.

Liana Torres.

She stepped out of the revolving doors, her hair gleaming under the streetlights, her lips painted the color of temptation. She walked with determination, chin lifted, unaware of the eyes tracking her every move.

Adrian's lips curved into a slow, predatory smirk. He murmured under his breath, "Going somewhere, Miss Torres?"

For the first time in years, Adrian Blackwood found himself too curious to stay.

He watched her as she exited the gates of Titan Media.